History of architecture. Baths of Caracalla - an entertainment complex from the times of Antiquity
Huge, large-scale structures were characteristic of the decline of the great Roman Empire. Baths, built by the emperor Caracalla on an extraordinary scale for his people, served the Romans as a bathhouse, a sports complex, a library, a concert hall, a place for meetings, entertainment and philosophical disputes. Today, the ruins left from the Baths of Caracalla are not only evidence of the tastes of the civilization of ancient Rome, but also one of the modern venues for spectacular performances of our time.
History
Baths, or baths, were widespread in the Roman Empire. The construction of these baths began in 206, during the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus. In 217, after his death, they opened to visitors. At this time, the cruel and despotic emperor Caracalla was in power.
The population of Rome became more and more pampered and demanding, the value of labor fell. To avoid unrest, the emperor regularly made generous donations to the population in the form of bread, gladiator fights and other amusements. One of such large-scale "entertainment complexes" for the people of Rome was the grandiose Baths of Emperor Caracalla.
Back in the 5th century, the Baths were considered one of the wonders of Rome, but already in 537 they suffered significantly from the Goths and subsequently fell into disrepair. Christianity, strengthening its position in Rome, neglected this temple of pagan pleasures, so for many centuries the building was not guarded by the authorities.
Since the 16th century, Thermae have become a subject of interest for archaeologists and historians. Many ancient sculptures were found here, and in 1938, the largest Mithraic temple in Rome was found in the ruins of the terms.
Architectural Features
The baths were an imposing building with an area of approximately 400 by 400 m. In terms of grandeur, this building is comparable to such structures as the Colosseum or the Mausoleum of Hadrian, and is characteristic of this period of Roman history.
The visitor entered the baths through the huge arch of the main entrance, lined with marble and bronze. Slaves took his clothes and he got into a vast room, ending in an outdoor pool the size of a pond.
Roman concrete was used as part of the walls. To do this, first a form was built of stone and bricks, into which the composition was poured. Thanks to this technique, the walls became very durable.
From the inside, the walls of the building were lined with marble. A vault soared above the room, supported by columns of such a diameter that five people could not clasp one of them, holding hands.
The columns only produced the effect of supporting the dome, they could not withstand the weight of the vault. In fact, its weight was distributed along the walls, but the architect skillfully concealed this. Steam escaped through a round hole in the dome. Light descended from there and, like a searchlight, moved around the hall as the sun moved.
Inside the building, in the main room, there were several pools of water different temperatures: warm, medium warmth and cool.
The Romans believed that swimming in an indoor pool of cool water was harmful to health. Therefore, such pools were built only in the open air.
In special rooms, visitors could enjoy massages, sports games, public performances and communication among themselves. A separate room was set aside for the library.
The room was richly decorated with sculptures and other works of art. Particularly impressive were the two statues of the resting Hercules, the statue of Flora, and the famous Farnese Bull.
The sculpture was discovered only in 1546 and was restored under the supervision of Michelangelo himself. Currently, she, along with a number of other attractions of the Terme, is located in the Archaeological Museum of Naples.
In the walls of the hall there were large windows glazed with a matte material similar in color to ivory. The walls were decorated with colored mosaics that told about the history of Rome, about battles and about mythical creatures.
Household departments were located under the halls, in which the floors and walls of the halls were heated. Double coatings protected the floors from overheating. Thanks to this heating system, a comfortable temperature was constantly maintained in the baths.
Modern look
Nowadays, the once lively Thermae look like a cluster of ruins, in which vast halls, passages and columns are barely guessed. From afar, they look like part of a natural landscape, attracting the eye with their archaism and scope.
Without special explanatory plates or photo captions, it is now impossible to find out where certain premises were located, and only a good guess can be made about the original purpose of the monument. knowledgeable of history human. Once, this building could accommodate more than 1600 visitors, but now only cats and lizards have become its permanent inhabitants.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a platform for performances of the Roman opera appeared here. The stage allowed large-scale concerts to be held. One of the productions, G. Verdi's opera Aida, was remembered for the fact that during the performance camels, horses and even elephants appeared on the stage.
In 1995, in order to maintain the safety of the building, the theater site was closed. Today, the opera returns to the building of the legendary Thermae, using them as an interior for premieres and classical productions.
Among the recent concerts held at this venue: Madama Butterfly, La bohème, a ballet performance based on the work of Pink Floyd and Elton John's performance.
Location, opening hours and cost
The address: Viale delle Terme di Caracalla. Rome, Italy.
Working hours: from 09:00 to 18:15, on Monday - until 14:00.
Hours may vary depending on the season. Phone Administration: +39 06 3996 7700
Visit price - 6 euro, and the audio guide - 5 euro.
Also, the Baths of Caracalla are included in the price of a combined ticket for 3 historical sites at a price of 7.5 euros.
The price of an opera concert may fluctuate from 20 to 100 euros. For performances with the participation of stars, the ticket price can reach 250 euro.
How to get there?
You can get to underground: line B, station Circo Massimo. fit buses № 118, 160, 628, 671, 714
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Last modified: March 21, 2019
On the southern slopes of the Aventine Hill, adjacent to the initial section of the Appian Way, one can still see the remains of a complex of buildings, which was one of the largest and most monumental buildings of Ancient Rome. The public baths erected in the 3rd century, known as, got their name from the nickname of the emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus, who ruled from 211 to 217. Bishop Polemius Silvius of Lyon, the author of the Julian calendar, called this grandiose project of Roman architecture one of the wonders of Rome for its beauty. appearance and the rich decoration of numerous spacious halls. And today the baths have retained the main part of their structure, being one of the most visited places in the Eternal City.
History
Roman Emperor Caracalla
Presumably, the construction of the complex public baths started in 206. under the emperor Septimius Severus. To implement the project, it was necessary to demolish several existing buildings and raze part of the Aventine Hill to level the site. Wishing to get the support and approval of the population living in the nearby areas of the city, it was decided to make the baths publicly available to everyone. However, the emperor did not have time to see his offspring with his own eyes and to be the first to step on the marble floors of the city bath, having died in the spring of 211. A year later, his son, the Roman emperor Caracalla, completed the construction, and the work was completed by his successors, Heliogabal (218-222) and Alessandro Severus (222-235).
Internal organization
The Baths of Caracalla was a giant complex with a park of green spaces, covering an area of 11 hectares. In the central building there were several richly decorated buying premises:
- calidarium - with hot water pools,
- tepidarium - with warm water
- frigidarium - with cold water
Water was supplied to them from the Aqua Antoniniana aqueduct, a specially built branch from the oldest 90-kilometer Aqua Marcia aqueduct. The aisles and halls of the pools were covered with huge vaulted ceilings adorned with colored glass tiles. Penetrating through giant windows sunlight, before reflecting from the water, sparkled and played with all the colors of the rainbow, creating extraordinary light illusions on the interior walls of the premises.
General view of the complex
The Baths of Caracalla, being the most impressive building of the Roman Empire until the opening in 306, could simultaneously accommodate more than one and a half thousand visitors.
The city bath served not only for personal hygiene - it was a kind of club in which they gathered to meet and discuss the latest news.
City bath
Decline and modern excavations
Until the beginning of the 6th century, the Baths of Caracalla remained the most visited place in Rome. During the war with the Visigoths 535 - 553. the aqueducts that supplied water were destroyed, the terms ceased to function, the buildings gradually fell into disrepair. An earthquake in 847 destroyed most buildings along with many other structures of the city. Abandoned and dilapidated buildings, located near the Appian Way, have long been used as a free hospice for wanderers and Christian pilgrims, and the surrounding area - for agricultural land.
This is interesting!
Until the 16th century, the Baths of Caracalla served as a kind of quarry for the extraction of high-quality building materials. Entire architectural forms extracted from the baths have been reused, which today, for example, can be seen in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome or the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta in Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa.
During the excavations initiated during the pontificate of Pope Paul III (1534 - 1540), many ancient statues were found that adorned the baths of Caracalla. The most famous of them are:
- the sculptural Hellenistic group "The Torment of Dirk", better known as the "Farnesian Bull";
- three-meter statue of "Hercules of Farnesia".
Today they are all in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. In addition, many of the sculptures found during excavations of the terms can be seen in.
Farnesian bull.
Heracles of Farnesia
One of the latest discoveries was the mitreum, discovered in the underground corridors of the Baths of Caracalla in 1912. Imitating a natural cave, the sanctuary was a meeting place for worshipers of the Persian god Mithra who professed a secret Hellenistic religion and was used to perform ritual rites. Although the mitreum has been restored, it is usually closed to the public and only opens on special occasions.
opera stage
Since 1937, the Baths of Caracalla, thanks to their amazing acoustics, have been used by the Rome Opera House for summer season concerts and outdoor performances. Performances were interrupted only during the Second World War and from 1993 to 2003. - during a large-scale restoration. The most significant event is considered to be the joint collaboration of three famous tenors that began on this stage - the Spaniards Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras and the Italian Luciano Pavarotti, who gave their first concert here on July 7, 1990, on the eve of the final of the World Cup.
Stage of the Rome Opera House in the Baths of Caracalla
In conclusion, I would like to recall that in the summer of 1960, during the XVII Olympic Games in Rome, the Baths of Caracalla became the site of competitions in gymnastics among women and men.
AND NOW LET'S GO FOR A LITTLE! 
The Baths of Caracalla is a grandiose building in its monumentality, built in Ancient Rome at the beginning of the 3rd century AD. Looking at the giant ruins of the term, it is even difficult to compare them with such a simple everyday concept as a bath. From this article you will learn about the history of the building, its state of the art how to visit the Baths of Caracalla in Rome, what are their opening hours and ticket prices.
The history of the term
The baths got their name from the name of the emperor Caracalla who built them, or rather, from his nickname. In fact, the emperor's name was Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (not to be confused with Marcus Aurelius from the Antonine dynasty), and he got his nickname for his love for a Gallic cloak with a hood up to the heels, called caracalla.
Strictly speaking, the construction of baths began under Caracalla's father, and ended in 217 - after his death. And for almost the entire period of construction, the emperor was on military campaigns far beyond the territory of Rome.
The baths amazed even the Romans, satiated with spectacles, with their grandiosity.
The period of construction of the term became a kind of reference point until the decline of the empire, torn apart by civil strife and civil unrest. Beginning of the 3rd century was marked by a newly established peace, which was facilitated by the father of Caracalla, and in order to distract people from political and social problems, it was decided to build new complex term.
According to its concept, the idea was unoriginal: at that time, several imperial baths and many smaller ones were already operating in Rome. And therefore, in order to impress the city people, fed up with various spectacles, the bet was made on an unprecedented scale. The courtyard area was a square of 400x400 m, and the building itself had dimensions of 150x200 m.
The interiors of the thermal baths were a work of art in themselves.
Baths in Roman culture were not just a bath, but also the heart public life. Often they not only washed themselves, but came here to solve problems. important issues, negotiations and even weaving conspiracies. And the baths of Caracalla generally became a real entertainment center for the Romans.
It had its own library, gardens, an amphitheater, gymnasiums for classes exercise and stadium. Moreover, the design of the complex was designed so that the stadium was visible directly from the bath halls, and visitors could watch what was happening without leaving the premises.
The statue of Apollo Belvedere once adorned the interior of the baths
The interiors of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome were a work of art in themselves. For the delight of the eye, the floors and walls were lined with marble and glass mosaics, and along their entire length in deep niches stood magnificent sculptures. Some of them have come down to us: the famous Apollo Belvedere and the composition of the Farnese Bull are now in the Archaeological Museum of Naples, respectively.
Therm device
The baths themselves were a series of rooms for various purposes. In the center was a frigidarium - a cool hall without a roof for relaxation. Behind him is the tepidarium, the progenitor of the sauna, a room with dry hot air, and the tepidarium was followed by the caldarium, a round room with a pool in the middle filled with warm water. Also in the complex were small rooms for those wishing to wash alone.
Baths in Roman culture were the heart of social life
Below were technical rooms and furnaces that ensured the operation of the thermal. Water came here from a source in the valley of the Anio River through the Marcia aqueduct, built several centuries earlier. Under Caracalla, a branch was made from it, supplying the tanks of the baths with clean cold water.
Current state
With the decline of the Roman Empire, the Baths of Caracalla also fell into disrepair. The lands suffered from frequent barbarian raids, and once richest state could no longer maintain all those incredible buildings in proper condition. The Baths closed in 537 and were abandoned. They were forgotten so much that subsequent generations did not even know the purpose of the colossal complex.
Mosaic floor in the baths
Interest in the construction returned only in the 16th century. Long time baths called the Palace of Antoninus, which is not surprising, given the scale of the complex. Then they could not even imagine that these powerful walls belonged to the baths.
By the way, it is thanks to the special construction technology that they are so well preserved. Concrete was poured between two layers of masonry, and after it hardened, the structure became so strong that it was extremely difficult to destroy it.
The baths are well preserved due to the special construction technology
Today the baths of Caracalla, in addition to museum complex, also serve as an additional platform for . A stage was erected on the territory of the archaeological site and visual places were equipped. Since 1937, performances have been given here, they take place mainly in the summer season - from June to August. Ticket prices are quite affordable - starting from 20 euros.
In 1960 - during the Olympic Games in Rome - they even held competitions in athletics. So we can say that to some extent, even today, the terms of Caracalla fulfill their former function.
In summer, opera performances are held on the territory of the complex.
The baths in Rome, built by order of the emperor Caracalla, were a grandiose structure for that time and were intended for bathing citizens. The Baths of Caracalla may well be considered the prototype of modern sports and entertainment centers with swimming pools and saunas.
Septimius Bassian Caracalla - the path to power
Septimius Bassian (186-217) - the original name of the Roman emperor, who was later nicknamed Caracalla because he introduced a wide Gallic cloak-caracalla into use in Rome, returning from a campaign against the Germans in 213. He was the eldest son of a Roman commander, and then Emperor Septimius Severus (born in Africa) and Julia Domna (born in Syria). Having received a good education and knowledge in Greek literature, later became a military man and treated all scientists with contempt.
His father Sever, having become emperor in 196, proclaimed himself adopted son Marcus Aurelius, and then his son Septimius began to be called Marcus Aurelius Antoninus as the heir. As a young man, he alternately received all the titles and honorary Roman titles: in 196 - Caesar, in 198 - August.
After the death of his father, Septimius and his brother Geta jointly inherited power. However, a year later, Caracalla tricked his brother into negotiating with his mother and killed him in front of her eyes. Septimius Bassianus was very cruel man going to his goal - to become an emperor - through the corpses of all his relatives: his wife and her relatives, brother and 20 thousand of his supporters. Because of this, the Roman emperor is sometimes presented as mentally unbalanced, but other accounts note his extraordinary mental abilities and talent as an orator.
Caracalla - Roman emperor (211-217)
Emperor Caracalla celebrated the beginning of his reign in 212 by promulgating an edict declaring all the inhabitants of the Roman Empire free. However, he immediately introduced taxes on citizens necessary to supply the army.
One of the historical buildings, thanks to which the emperor left a memory of himself, was the terms erected under his leadership and named after Caracalla (public baths). Their construction began in 206.
The emperor conducted several military campaigns: in 213 to Germany and Rezia, where he defeated the Alemanni and Hattians and built defensive structures on the border of the Roman Empire, in 214 to the Middle Danube. Cherishing the conceited thoughts of conquering the Parthian kingdom, following the example of Alexander the Great, he began to prepare a campaign, during which in 217 he was killed during a conspiracy of the Praetorian prefect Oppelius Macrinus and his associates. The marble bust of Emperor Caracalla is kept in the Pergamon Museum (Berlin, Germany).
The history of the construction of the term
Questions of washing and personal hygiene in the Roman Empire, the citizens paid great attention find in it a source of pleasure. During the heyday of the empire, there was even a science about the construction of baths and the conduct of all procedures in them.
Construction work on the construction of the terms was started in 206 by order of the emperor Septimius Severus, and then continued by his son Caracalla.
One of the most important buildings and assets of Rome, which marked the era of Caracalla, is the baths of Antoninian, which were completed by 216. The walls of the thermae were made of bricks and carefully concreted; marble was used for decoration (6.3 thousand cubic meters in total). More than 10 thousand workers took part in the work and almost 2 thousand craftsmen worked on the finishing of all structures. With their long construction, the terms caused significant damage to the state treasury of Rome.
As a politician, the Roman emperor tried to win the favor of the people of Rome, whose main entertainments in those days were competitions in the Colosseum and bathing in the baths. There were almost 80 public baths in the city.
Even after the destruction, the terms were considered one of the wonders of the world of the Roman Empire and received their historical name - the terms of Caracalla.
Baths of Caracalla in Rome: description
The huge building of the term was intended to be public baths, in which Roman citizens received not only bathing services, but also some entertainment, sports and intellectual. This public building was striking in size, richness of architecture and decorative finishes.
The dimensions of the entire structure were 337x328 m, its height was 38.5 m. 1.5 thousand people could be in it at the same time. According to contemporaries, 6-8 thousand residents of the city bathed in the baths every day. The building was located in the middle of the park, and additional buildings were located around. The walls of the structure were made of polished marble and rested at the top against a high vault. What the baths of Caracalla looked like in Rome, the photo below clearly demonstrates.
According to the conclusion of historians, there were two libraries in the baths - spacious halls located opposite the main entrance - in the distance, in a park area. They contained niches with scrolls in Latin and Greek, to which small steps approached.
Rows of an amphitheater with seats were installed between the library halls. A stadium was made in front of the rows of benches, which was visible even from the remote rooms of the thermal complex.
A spacious park surrounded all the buildings of the term, it had many places for relaxation and philosophizing. There was also an art gallery, restaurants and shops on the premises.
On the territory of the term there were 64 cisterns for water coming through the aqueduct. Below, in the cellars of the building, there were 2 more levels of water supply. In the first, water was heated, in the second, a drain was made for the already used one. The length of the underground structures was 4 km.
Thermal device and interior design
The main building of the thermal bath had dimensions of 228x116 m and included 3 bathing rooms:
- frigidarium - a large unheated room and a pool of cold water;
- tepidarium (warm pool);
- caldarium (hot water pool).
In the last two rooms, the walls and floor were heated by supplying hot air through special voids and openings.
There were 4 entrances to the emperor Caracalla baths: two of them - on both sides of the frigidarium and two led to covered halls. Around the wide caldarium were small rooms for individual washing. Nearby are large public meeting rooms.
All the floors were decorated with beautiful mosaics and the walls were lined with marble. Also inside the thermal complex there were many sculptures: in different time there were the Farnese bull, the statues of Apollo Belvedere, Hercules and Flora.
On the sides of the main entrance, deep niches-exedras were located in a semicircle, in front of each was a gymnasium (palestra). Competitions, trainings and games were held here.
Baths were the social and cultural center of Rome, where both poor people and wealthy patricians came for recreation and sports and educational leisure. There was a gymnasium and a stadium for sports, beautiful park, library and theater.
How did the Romans bathe in thermae?
At the entrance to the bath building, visitors were served by slaves who undressed them. Through openings in the large hall, one could enter the gym and sauna. After taking bath procedures, the Romans went to the frigidarium with a pool under open sky. From here it was possible to go up the stairs to the main hall, at the top of which was a huge dome. The vault was supported by 8 large red columns.
In the main hall, semi-circular windows were decorated with translucent stone plates, which created unusual golden lighting inside. What did the Baths of Caracalla look like then? See photos of the reconstruction of the main hall below.
The caldarium was round in shape (35 m in diameter), along its perimeter there were beds on which one could relax or receive a massage session from specially trained slaves using aromatic oils. In the middle there was a hot pool, around the hall - rooms for individual washing.
This was followed by tepidarium and frigidarium - such a plan of water procedures (gradual decrease in temperature) was recommended by the ancient doctors.
Excavations of the Baths of Caracalla
The first archaeological excavations began at the direction of Pope Paul III Farnese back in the 14th century: many works of art were discovered then, as well as the underground temple of Mithras. The purpose of the excavations was to extract building material for the new papal palace.
As a result of the first work, 2 statues of Hercules and 2 porphyry baths were found, one of which was converted into a fountain bowl in Piazza Fornese, and the other was transported to the Vatican. A granite column was dug out of the ground and then presented to the Dukes of the Medici.
According to records in historical sources, the emperor Caracalla, in ancient times, the terms were periodically used for concerts, which was a tribute historical memory this architectural structure.
Underground tunnels in the baths
During excavations in the underground part of the territory where the baths of the emperor Caracalla are located, tunnels and Mithraeum were discovered - the temple of the cult of Mithras, which is the largest in Rome. Its restoration costing 400,000 euros, during which the vaults and floor with mosaics were reconstructed in fragments, lasted several years. The underground passages and adjacent premises were also restored.
Mithraeums, temples of the Indo-Iranian deity of agreement and consent, were popular in Rome in the 3rd century, they were always built underground, in the middle of the temple there was a sacred hall with a pit for sacrifices. The Temple of Mithras at the Baths of Caracalla was discovered in 1912.
Now these underground passages and the temple are open to visitors, but only 2 months a year (due to continued restoration work) tourists are allowed to go there in groups of 25 people.
What is left now of the famous thermal baths
The Baths of Caracalla in Rome operated for more than 300 years and even underwent reconstruction. However, in 537 the Goths destroyed the aqueduct through which water flowed, and the work of the term was stopped.
Time, several earthquakes that have happened over these centuries, as well as the negligence and looting of some residents and tourists have turned the thermal buildings into ruins.
But now these are not just the ruins of the era of the Roman Empire, which are visited daily by crowds of tourists. Starting in 1937, the huge ruins turned into a 22 m long opera stage. Donizetti's opera was performed there as a premiere.
The most famous concert took place in 1990, three famous operatic tenors performed: Domingo, Pavarotti and Carreras.
In the auditorium, under which the former tepidarium is used, 20 thousand spectators can be after reconstruction.
Modern revival of the Baths of Caracalla
In memory of the famous bath complex in Italy, a professional line was launched cosmetics called Terme Di Caracalla (the baths of Caracalla). Cosmetics for face and body skin care are intended for use in spa salons and spa centers. It is recommended for women of age to saturate the skin with vitamins and minerals with the addition of antioxidant protection. Body scrubs and gommages allow you to free the dermis from dirt and old cells. Cleansing line "Pink Grapefruit" contributes to the regulation of fat secretion of skin cells. Anti-cellulite mud with natural ingredients tones tissues with high efficiency.
Using cosmetics with such an ancient name, any woman will feel special, close to the Roman emperor, or imagine how she is relaxing in an Italian resort.
How to get to the thermae, opening hours
The Imperator Caracalla Baths are located in the central part of Rome at the address: Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 52. The nearest metro station is CIRCO MASSIMO (line B), and bus routes No. 160, 188, 628, 671, 714 are also nearby.
Tourists who want to visit Rome (the Baths of Caracalla) will be very interested in the opening hours of the museum: it always opens at 9.00, but the closing time depends on the season. In April-August - until 19.15, in the autumn-winter period - until 16.30 and 17.00, on Mondays it is open until 14.00. The price of the entrance ticket is 6 euros.
Baths of Caracalla (Italy) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.
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Bath, a phenomenon for our man is not even alien, was very popular in ancient Rome. However, the ancient Roman baths-saunas were called differently - terms. People came here to warm up, wash, and in between times to talk, discuss business issues, find good partners for their ancient Roman business.
The baths were built at the beginning of the 3rd century AD under the emperor who ruled under the name of Septimius Bassian, but better known, as is often the case with Roman emperors, by the nickname Caracalla preserved by historians.
It is surprising that the vast, majestic and luxurious building of the Baths of Caracalla, according to its purpose, was "only" public baths, promising the visitor, however, many hours of varied leisure, not only bathing, but also sports, as well as intellectual. It was a gigantic public building, striking in its size and richness of decoration. It can be argued that the Baths of Caracalla are as grandiose and monumental as the Colosseum or the Mausoleum of Hadrian.
The Baths of Caracalla are as grandiose and monumental as the Colosseum or the Mausoleum of Hadrian.
In the thermal room, measuring 337 by 328 meters, more than 1,500 people could be at the same time. In 537, the barbarians blocked the Roman aqueducts, and many terms, including the terms of Caracalla, began to fall into disrepair.
The period of oblivion lasted until the 14th century, when Pope Paul III Farnese began to excavate at the site of the former terms, wishing to get construction material to build a new palace. It was then that two statues of Hercules were found, two porphyry bathtubs, one of which today serves as a fountain bowl in Farnese Square, and the other is kept in the Vatican. A granite column was also raised to the surface, which was later presented to the Dukes of the Medici. At the same time, sources also recorded the periodic use of the Baths of Caracalla as a venue for fashionable concerts in Rome - a tribute that in the second half of the past century was paid mainly to clearer, better preserved and more “correct” monuments.
Today, once in the baths of Caracalla, the traveler is unlikely to feel pity for these ruins or the desire to at least mentally return the building to its original goodness. The ruins of the Caracalla Baths do not cause pity at all - their scale is too large, the greatness of what is left of them is too obvious. That is why they are perceived as a natural, landscape object, as a natural mountain (although man-made is never forgotten).
The Baths of Caracalla do not seem like architecture - they are too destroyed for that. But they do not seem like nature either - they are too built for that. It's not a street - you go inside them. But this is not an interior - they are too grandiose for an interior. This is not clear at all. Another world.
Both the original design of the interiors of the term, and the sophisticated water supply and heating systems can only be imagined now, buildings and passages, supports and spans can hardly be guessed, but the impression of grandiosity and surprise from the prosaic role of this mountain bath (and we didn’t even think that baths there are such!) guaranteed.
So the level of development of civilization can be judged not only by military victories and philosophical treatises, but also by what kind of baths this very civilization left behind. And here Ancient Rome remains an example for us.
It remains only to add that today people come to the Baths of Caracalla not only to feel the grandeur and grandeur of the Empire, to see the ruins of the largest bath in the history of mankind, but also to listen to music, because the Baths have long become a concert venue, on the stage of which opera and pop singers and groups perform.
Address: Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 52, Roma